Imagination: One of Childhood’s Greatest Pleasures

I am extremely grateful that my daughters know how to use their imaginations. A favorite past time of theirs is pretending to be characters they’ve read about in books. One day they’re Meg and Jo from Little Women, the next Anne and Diana from Anne of Green Gables, and another Nan and Flossie from the Bobbsey Twins.

They have passed untold hours acting out stories they’ve read and creating new ones. I attribute this in part to the limitations we put on their media time, as well as exposure to good books and their love of reading.

They turn ordinary objects into grand things. Last winter they turned an array of chairs, a table, an ottoman, baskets and blankets into a horse-drawn sleigh, which allowed them to be Mary and Laura Ingalls riding behind Pa’s horses. Who needs toys when you have the gift of an imagination?!

Do your children like to pretend-play? What is their favorite character or story?